https://journals.lww.com/jnpt/
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https://journals.lww.com/jnpt/Fulltext/2017/04000/Aerobic_Exercise_Prescription_in_Stroke.6.aspx
Background and Purpose:
Best practice recommendations indicate that aerobic exercise (AEX) should be incorporated into stroke rehabilitation. However, this may be challenging in clinical settings. The purpose of this study was to assess physical therapist (PT) AEX prescription for patients with stroke, including AEX utilization, barriers to AEX prescription, dosing parameters, and safety considerations.
Methods:
A cross-sectional Web-based survey study was conducted. Physical therapists with valid e-mail addresses on file with the state boards of Florida, New Jersey, Ohio, Texas, and Wyoming were eligible to participate. Survey invitations were e-mailed to all licensed PT in these states. Analysis focused on respondents who were currently involved with clinical stroke rehabilitation in common practice settings.
Results:
Results from 568 respondents were analyzed. Most respondents (88%) agreed that AEX should be incorporated into stroke rehabilitation, but 84% perceived at least one barrier. Median prescribed AEX volume varied between practice settings from 20- to 30-minute AEX sessions, 3 to 5 days per week for 2 to 8 weeks. Prescribed intensity was most commonly light or moderate; intensity was determined by the general response to AEX and patient feedback. Only 2% of respondents reported that the majority of their patients with stroke had stress tests.
Discussion and Conclusions:
Most US PTs appear to recognize the importance of AEX for persons poststroke, but clinical implementation can be challenging. Future studies and consensus are needed to clarify best practices and to develop implementation interventions to optimize AEX utilization in stroke rehabilitation.
Video Abstract available for more insights from the authors (see Video, Supplemental Digital Content 1, http://links.lww.com/JNPT/A167).]]>Fri, 24 Mar 2017 13:51:18 GMT-05:0001253086-201704000-00006https://journals.lww.com/jnpt/Fulltext/2018/10000/Minimal_Clinically_Important_Difference_of_the.4.aspx
Background and Purpose:
The 6-minute walk test (6MWT) is commonly used in people with stroke. The purpose of this study was to estimate the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of the 6MWT 2 months poststroke.
Methods:
We performed a secondary analysis of data from a rehabilitation trial. Participants underwent physical therapy between 2 and 6 months poststroke and the 6MWT was measured before and after. Two anchors of important change were used: the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) and the Stroke Impact Scale (SIS). The MCID for the 6MWT was estimated using receiver operating characteristic curves for the entire sample and for 2 subgroups: initial gait speed (IGS) <0.40 m/s and ≥0.40 m/s.
Results:
For the entire sample, the estimated MCID of the 6MWT was 71 m with the mRS as the anchor (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.66) and 65 m with the SIS as the anchor (AUC = 0.59). For participants with IGS <0.40 m/s, the estimated MCID was 44 m with the mRS as the anchor (AUC = 0.72) and 34 m with the SIS as the anchor (AUC = 0.62). For participants with IGS ≥0.40 m/s, the estimated MCID was 71 m with the mRS as the anchor (AUC = 0.59) and 130 m with the SIS as the anchor (AUC = 0.56).
Discussion and Conclusions:
Between 2 and 6 months poststroke, people whose IGS is <0.40 m/s and experience a 44-m improvement in the 6MWT may exhibit meaningful improvement in disability. However, we were not able to estimate an accurate MCID for the 6MWT in people whose IGS was ≥0.40 m/s. MCID values should be estimated across different levels of function and anchors of importance.
Video Abstract available for more insights from the authors (see Video, Supplemental Digital Content 1, available at: http://links.lww.com/JNPT/A232).]]>Fri, 21 Sep 2018 08:18:05 GMT-05:0001253086-201810000-00004https://journals.lww.com/jnpt/Fulltext/2018/10000/Mobility_Function_and_Recovery_After_Stroke__.2.aspx
Background and Purpose:
Poststroke hemiparesis increases the perceived challenge of walking. Perceived challenge is commonly measured by self-report, which is susceptible to measurement bias. A promising approach to objectively assess perceived challenge is measuring sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity with skin conductance to detect the physiological stress response. We investigated the feasibility of using skin conductance measurements to detect task-related differences in the challenge posed by complex walking tasks in adults poststroke.
Methods:
Adults poststroke (n = 31) and healthy young adults (n = 8) performed walking tasks including typical walking, walking in dim lighting, walking over obstacles, and dual-task walking. Measures of skin conductance and spatiotemporal gait parameters were recorded. Continuous decomposition analysis was conducted to assess changes in skin conductance level (ΔSCL) and skin conductance response (ΔSCR). A subset of participants poststroke also underwent a 12-week rehabilitation intervention.
Results:
SNS activity measured by skin conductance (both ΔSCL and ΔSCR) was significantly greater for the obstacles task and dual-task walking than for typical walking in the stroke group. Participants also exhibited “cautious” gait behaviors of slower speed, shorter step length, and wider step width during the challenging tasks. Following the rehabilitation intervention, SNS activity decreased significantly for the obstacles task and dual-task walking.
Discussion and Conclusions:
SNS activity measured by skin conductance is a feasible approach for quantifying task-related differences in the perceived challenge of walking tasks in people poststroke. Furthermore, reduced SNS activity during walking following a rehabilitation intervention suggests a beneficial reduction in the physiological stress response evoked by complex walking tasks.
Video Abstract available for more insights from the authors (See Video, Supplemental Digital Content 1, http://links.lww.com/JNPT/A234).]]>Fri, 21 Sep 2018 08:17:26 GMT-05:0001253086-201810000-00002https://journals.lww.com/jnpt/Fulltext/2018/10000/Turning_Stability_in_Individuals_With_Parkinson.5.aspx
Background and Purpose:
Although instability during turning is a disabling feature of Parkinson disease (PD), little is known about the associated postural characteristics. Our goals were to compare turning stability between individuals with PD and healthy individuals and to investigate whether dopaminergic medication improves turning stability.
Methods:
Nineteen older adults with mild to moderate PD and 19 healthy individuals walked straight or walked and turned 180° to the right or left. The turning direction was visually cued before (preplanned) or during (unplanned) straight walking. Participants with PD were assessed off and on medication. As a proxy for mediolateral stability, we calculated the difference between pelvis lateral displacement and the lateral edge of the support base.
Results:
While healthy individuals regulated mediolateral stability in a steady-state manner during turning, mediolateral stability in PD was reduced for crossover steps (narrow steps by the foot contralateral to the turning direction) and increased for side steps (widening steps by the foot ipsilateral to the turning direction) (P ≤ 0.008). Individuals with PD turned with narrower step width (P ≤ 0.024) and smaller pelvis displacement than healthy individuals (P ≤ 0.002). Dopaminergic medication only improved mediolateral stability while using side steps to initiate unplanned turns (P < 0.001).
Discussion and Conclusions:
Turning stability was compromised in PD, but only for crossover steps with a narrow support base. As dopaminergic medication showed limited effect on turning stability, rehabilitation plays an important role to promote safe turning strategies with a specific emphasis on sustainment of a wide support base.
Video Abstract available for more insights from the authors (see Video, Supplemental Digital Content 1, available at: http://links.lww.com/JNPT/A236).]]>Fri, 21 Sep 2018 08:18:39 GMT-05:0001253086-201810000-00005